This Period of Life
by Ranger of the Forest
Summary: The title is a pun. Arguably the fanfic-est fanfic I've ever written. Read on if you dare.
1. Chapter 1

She had known this was coming. Known it for weeks. Still didn't stop her from being surprised when Robin motioned her aside, his mask furrowed. It would almost be comical if it wasn't so intimidating. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but the boy wonder could be quite frightening when he chose to be. Today was one of those times.

"What are you doing out there Raven? You almost slammed right into Starfire, again. If you're not careful, you could mess up the formation. What if this happened while we're in the field?"

"I know, I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

"It better not." Robin ran his fingers through his hair, clearly exasperated.

"You're a good fighter Raven, you're a valuable asset to the team. But lately you've been so, so...distracted." He leaned in closer, and Raven focused in on the line of stubble slowly creeping up Robin's job. She was distracted? Robin barely set aside time to sleep, let alone time to groom himself. But he had a point. She only wished it was easier to explain. If only she herself understood.

"I'll try to be better, I promise." Robin shook his head, a tiny smile forming on his face.

"What?"

"It's nothing. But I trust you. Take some time, sort yourself out, come back to practice when you're ready." He strode back to the team, his cape swishing from side to side. In spite of everything, it made her smile. Maybe she had changed in the past few months, but Robin certainly hadn't.

.~.

"What is wrong, friend Raven?" Starfire floated down to the vacant place on the couch, right next to Raven. The empath looked up from her book, staring Star down. It was crazy, but she had a feeling the alien girl would understand. They weren't human. If anyone could explain what was happening to her, it was Star.

"I-I started my, I guess you would call it, period?"

Silence.

Then more silence.

And yet more silence.

"Star?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know what I mean by period?"

"You are referring to the menstrual cycle, yes?" Ok yes she clearly did know what Raven was talking about.

"Yeah."

"What about it?"

"I've been doing some research, the best I can do, on the subject. It comes later for Azarathian women than it does for human women, but mixed with the demon in me...it creates something else entirely. I've only been able to find one other example of this in recorded history."

"And?"

"It's not good. The pain is severe, crippling even. There's no potion or pill that can cure it. But-"

"What is it?"

"In the case of this girl, what made it finally go away was, was after-"

"Go on."

"Intercourse." Raven spat out the word like an orange seed.

"Surely you jest, friend Raven."

"I wish I was."

There was a silence that hung over the room like a steaming fog. Raven sipped at her lukewarm tea, trying to appear nonchalant.

"It could be worse." Raven nearly choked on her jasmine tea.

"Could be worse?"

"What you call intercourse, it is not so bad. I find it pleasant."

"Star!" The green eyed alien grinned at her, clearly enjoying herself.

"Am I wrong?"

"I wouldn't know, would I? I've only been kissed twice, let alone anything else." Star's eyes widened at this.

"Surely you are joking."

"I'm not."

"I could teach you."

"Star."

"If it would help you, I wouldn't mind."

"I wish it were that simple. But I don't think it will work unless there's a chance that the encounter could produce offspring."

"I see."

"I wish it was something else, anything else, anything but-"

"Do it with Robin." Raven rubbed her ear furiously. She wasn't sure she had heard her right.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"With Robin, you should have the sexual intercourse with Robin."

"You're joking." But Star's face said she was anything but.

"I am not. You care for him, he cares for you. Better your first time is with someone you know and love than a stranger."

"Robin's my friend, I couldn't-"

"He was my friend too and we did it."

"Ok, too much information Star." Starfire shrugged.

"He was very good."

"Definitely do not need to hear that."

"He was very good with his hands, and his-" Raven covered her ears with her hands.

"LALALA I'm not listening!" She peeked up at Star, who was frowning at her, but her mouth had at least stopped moving.

"All I'm saying is, he knows what to do."

"I'm sure he does, but what makes you think he'd want to do any of it with me?" Starfire looked away, a small smile playing on her face.

"Oh friend Raven, surely you have realized by now."

"Realized what?"

"Robin likes you."

"Of course he does, we're friends."

"No, likes you likes you."

"You're kidding me."

"I do not kid, not during girl talk." Raven had to smile at this. There was nothing typical about her and Star's version of girl talk.

"Say what you want to Star, but I'm not convinced. Especially since he's been riding me so hard lately."

"I bet he is." Raven threw a pillow at Star and hit her square in the chest.

"Ok, ok, I walked into that one."

"Yes you did," Starfire giggled. Raven smiled in spite of herself. No matter how much she protested or denied it, there was a part of her that wished, no, hoped, Star was right.

 **A/N: Went back and revised chapter 1! Enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey Raven, what's up?"

Shit on a cracker. Raven had been hoping he wasn't home. The rest of the team had vacated the tower for their day off, so she had figured Robin would have done the same.

She held up her book in response to his question.

"Ah Jane Eyre, a classic."

Raven grunted, but kept her eyes on the page.

"You'll never guess what I-" At that moment, the scanner went off.

 _Please don't let it be a criminal, please don't let this be a criminal,_ Raven prayed in vain.

"It's Doctor Light, he's over at the power plant. Let's go."

"Shouldn't we wait for the rest of the team?"

"There's no time to waste. Besides, I think we can take him." Robin winked at her as he fastened his cloak and Raven felt her insides turn to pudding. That was exactly what she was afraid of.

.~.

"You cannot escape the power...OF LIGHT."

Raven stifled a yawn as Robin finished tying the villain up. He had been right; it had only taken them a few minutes to subdue the second rate criminal. Turns out Light wasn't as powerful as he had claimed to be.

"You forgot the gag, Robin." She said as Robin hoisted Dr. Light over his shoulder. He tutted and wagged a finger at her.

"All villains are entitled to speak their minds."

"Thank you." Dr. Light sighed in relief.

"Of course, anything they say can and will be used against them."

"Wait, does that mean you're calling my parents?"

Raven rolled her eyes. Apparently some criminals still lived in their parents' basement.

"Come on Robin, let's hurry up and turn him in."

.~.

"I still can't believe you let him call his therapist."

"The poor guy needed a break. Hopefully this will be a wake up call for him."

"Doubtful. There's no substance thicker than light after all, or something like that."

Robin laughed.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Raven turned to go to her room, but Robin grabbed her wrist.

"Wait." She turned to him and raised an eyebrow. He averted his eyes and scratched the back of his head.

"I was thinking...we haven't had a bad movie night in a while, and the rest of the team aren't here, so..." He still remembered? They had bonded a year ago over a shared love of The Room, and since then they'd occasionally pop in a bad movie to enjoy together. Starfire lacked the understanding of earth humor to get the memeyness of watching bad movies on purpose, and Beast Boy and Cyborg preferred on purpose comedies rather than the accidental ones.

"Yeah, a bad movie night sounds good. I actually have the perfect one." And a feeling that this was the perfect opportunity to get Robin to help her fix her problem.

"Really?" His face lit up, and Raven wished that this night could just be reserved for the innocent fun they usually found themselves in.

"Meet you in the den in five minutes, you go get the popcorn."

"Oh it's so on." Robin sprinted off to the den while Raven trudged up to her room.

She surveyed her choices of loungewear in despair. There was nothing in her closet that screamed seduction. But at the very least she made sure she had matching underwear on, and threw on some lounge shorts and a baggy shirt.

Raven strolled down the den, movie in hand, almost wishing she could tell Robin to save himself while he still could.

Robin looked up as she approached, a smile spreading on his face.

"So, what movie are we watching tonight?"

Raven held it up to the light and relished in Robin's horrified expression.

"No. Not that."

"Yes."

"You can't be serious."

"I warned you this was coming, and I finally got my hands on a copy at a library book sale."

"No, this can't be happening."

"Time to face the music, Robin." Raven practically crowed as she sank into the sofa.

"We're watching-"

 **A/N: Annnnd I'm back. Sorry for the wait, I only recently fell back into the creative mood for this story, so the next update will be much sooner, I promise. Any other fans of The Room out there? Honestly Robin and Raven being bad movie buffs is my new favorite headcanon. Leave your guesses for what movie they're watching, and I can promise you there's like a 99.9% chance of Raven and Robin action in the next chapter ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

"Barbie Princess and the Pauper? Are you shitting me?" Raven allowed herself a cackle before she inserted the disc into the DVD player.

"Trust me, it's a quality movie."

Raven let herself savor every slack jawed moment as Robin witnessed one of the finest vehicles to sell toys ever made. They laughed, they cried (from laughing), it was a perfect night. Well, almost. In the final few moments of the film, Raven allowed herself to steal a glance at the boy wonder. He stared up at the screen, and even though the movie wasn't one that would win any oscars, he fell into it anyway.

"That's it?"

"Yeah, a double wedding, what more could you want from an animated Barbie movie?"

"Why don't we get to see the double honeymoon?"

"Ew, you want to see a Barbie orgy?"

"No you perv! Just Barbie one on one sex, the way nature intended." Raven laughed, and slapped Robin on the arm.

"That's still gross." She felt his eyes on her, and she allowed herself to return his gaze.

"Raven..." He was inching towards her. It was now or never.

Raven lunged for Robin, straddling him. She could feel his heartbeat underneath her fingertips. Closing her eyes, and trying not to think too much about it, Raven pressed her mouth to his.

Raven hadn't had too many experiences with kisses in her life. One had been a sloppy kiss in her early teen years with a goth guy who hung out at their favorite club. The other had been with Speedy during a Titans wide game of truth or dare. While those experiences hadn't exactly been unpleasant, nothing about them had really stirred her interest. But this-kissing Robin felt...different.

She wasn't sure what she had expected his lips would feel like, but it hadn't been this. There was a...hunger there, a passion that fitted Robin to a T, sure, but one she never expected to be directed toward her. If this kiss was any indication, Robin wanted her.

His fingers clenched her thighs, and suddenly emboldened, Raven sat up straight and pulled off her shirt. She saw his eyes widen at this, and she smiled inwardly. This would be easier than she thought it would be. She allowed her fingers to wander over Robin's torso, until they came to the edge of his t-shirt. It took a couple of tugs, but she got the shirt off his head and threw it to the side. Woah. Raven tried not to stare. It was a given that the boy wonder was in good shape, considering the fervor and frequency with which he worked out. But this...

"Enjoying the view?" Robin smirked up at her, and Raven hurried to shut him up with her mouth. Her fingers traced the outline of his abs, lower and lower until they brushed the edge of his sweatpants. She heard his breath hitch, and slowly she reached down further and further-

Robin grasped both of her hands with his, forcing her gaze upwards. They stared at each other for a moment, then he let out a chuckle.

"Let me at least buy you dinner first, Raven." Oh. She rolled off of him, disappointment washing over her. She had expected this to be over tonight. More than that, she had been hoping...

"Hey." She felt his hand brushing her bare arm, and she turned to him. His face was so open, and a look of...tenderness...rested on his face.

"I-I value you, Raven. As a person. You don't have to prove anything to me. We can take our time, it's ok. It won't kill us." Maybe it won't kill you, boy blunder.

"I know." Her voice must have sounded as small as she felt, because before she realized what was happening, Robin was wrapping her up in a hug. She took the opportunity to discreetly sniff his shoulder. Damn he smelled good. The scent of clean soap mixed with mint was definitely her weakness.

Raven broke free of the embrace and collected her shirt, pulling it back over her head. If the deed wasn't going to be done tonight she might as well get some sleep. If Robin was disappointed by this he didn't show it, grabbing his own shirt from the floor. Raven was halfway through the door when she heard him say,

"I'll pick you up around 7, tomorrow. For a...date." Raven waved her hand and kept walking, a wave of irritability sweeping over her. Starfire had acted like getting Robin to bang her would be a piece of cake. Clearly, if she had learned anything tonight, it would be anything but. Maybe she should try Beast Boy-

A shudder went through her at the thought. He was like her little brother. No thank you. And Cyborg had been dating Bumble Bee for months now. Robin was the logical answer. Maybe tomorrow she would prove more successful. Raven sighed and flopped down onto her bed. She'd just have to wait and see

 **A/N: I finished this chapter last night and I'm already working on the next one, so it just makes sense to post them as they come instead of sticking to some sort of arbitrary schedule. Hope y'all enjoy this chapter, it's probably the juiciest thing I've written so far. Drop a review if you feel so inclined, i appreciate everyone's comments so far. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Aw, look at our girl." Raven resisted the urge to clock Cyborg in the face.

"Yeah, uh, you actually clean up nice Raven." She gave Beast Boy a death glare while straightening her skirt.

"Oh you look marvelous friend! I am sure Robin will-"

"Thanks Star." Raven interrupted with a somewhat pained smile. She had been under the (admittedly delusional) assumption that when Robin had asked her on a date, it would be a private matter. But in a tower with five young adults, she supposed it was inevitable that secrets would get out.

"Wow Raven, you look..." She shifted her gaze and saw Robin's eyes fixed on her. She gripped her skirt and tried to remember to breathe. Even when he was just wearing jeans and a t-shirt, Robin still managed to outdress her. His hair was somehow less spiky than usual, and he gave her a soft smile as he walked towards her. Raven dug her nails into her palms.

"Ready?" She asked, eager to get out from under the nosy scrutiny of their teammates. He nodded, and Raven took his arm, practically dragging him out of the tower.

"I, er, asked Cyborg if I could borrow the T-car for the night." Robin said as he fumbled with the keys.

"Yeah, that was probably smart, all things considered." Raven gestured at her skirt. Navy, with ruffles, found at the very back of Starfire's closet. Paired with a simple white blouse, it had the effect of making Raven feel very much unlike herself.

Robin fiddled with the radio for a moment before turning to her.

"Do you...have a preference?"

She shook her head. After switching between a couple of stations Robin settled on one that played classic rock as they drove through the outskirts of Jump City.

"So...where are we going?" Raven asked, trying not to fiddle with her skirt. It rode up higher on her legs than she would have liked. True, her uniform was more revealing, but that was for work. This was...different. She wasn't sure if she enjoyed that or not.

"It's called Larry Boy's. It's a bit of a dive, but they serve burgers, fries, milkshakes. The good stuff."

"I thought you were still on that...what was it, a diet?"

"Juice cleanse. I stopped last week. Wasn't for me. I prefer my foods in solid form."

"Fair enough."

They spent the rest of the drive in comfortable silence. Sometimes Raven caught Robin looking at her with that same giddy smile on his face, as if he couldn't believe that this was happening. It was oddly endearing, but Raven told herself to stay on mission. With any luck, her little problem would be over by the end of the night.

"Here we are." Robin announced as he pulled into the last open parking spot. It might be a dive, but clearly this place was popular.

Raven rolled her eyes when Robin held open the door for her, but she decided to not dump him into the garbage can. Just this once.

As soon as she entered the restaurant, Raven was accosted by sound. Loud 50s music was blaring from the speakers, and mixed with the noise of the restaurant patrons, she could barely hear herself think.

"Loud, isn't it?" Robin mouthed at her, before taking her arm and steering her toward a secluded corner of the restaurant.

Raven settled in on one side of the booth, with Robin on the other. The hubbub of the crowd had faded a little, or at least enough for them to converse regularly.

"I come here all the time. Best burgers this side of Gotham. It's nice to get away sometimes from the rush of the city. Where do you go?"

"What?"

"I mean, do you have a place like this you come to often?"

"Well, it's not really like this, but there's this little cafe right across from the library I go to a lot. They serve these really good French pastries, and they also have bubble tea?"

"That's quite a combination." Robin smiled at her.

"I don't know, I think it works."

A frizzy haired waitress sauntered up to their table and beamed at Robin.

"Hey Dick, haven't seen you in a while." She glanced over at Raven and her eyes widened slightly.

"And I see you brought a friend! Hi sweetie, my name is Tanya."

"Nice to meet you."

"I take it you'll have your usual, Dick. What'll it be for you dear?"

"Er..." She hadn't even glanced at the menu.

"She'll have the same." Raven looked up at Robin, her eyes narrowing. He gave her a placating smile in return.

"Alrighty, I'll get this in right away." Tanya bustled off towards the kitchen and Raven fixed her eyes on Robin.

"You really had to order for me? Can I just not be trusted to pick food I'll like."

"You'll love it, I swear."

"I guess respecting my autonomy as a woman was just too much for me to expect, huh?" A horrified look crossed Robin's face.

"God Raven no, I didn't mean it like that, of course I-" He stopped, scrutinizing her expression. With a sigh he slumped back into his seat.

"You're messing with me, aren't you?"

"How could I resist? You make it only too easy, Dick." Robin winced slightly at the use of his real name.

"I guess I deserve that. You just...you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this." Raven blinked.

"Waiting for what?" He grinned at her.

"Waiting for a chance to go out with you."

"Oh."

"I can't believe it took you so long to notice. I-I'm crazy about you, Raven." He reached across the table and grabbed one of her hands in his.

Raven groaned inwardly. This wasn't the plan. Sure Starfire had indicated that Robin was interested in her, but she hadn't figured he wanted anything more than what she needed.

She pulled her hand away, surprised at the hurt that flitted across his face. Well shit, that wouldn't do either.

"Sorry, but I'm just not used to all of this, to...to dating."

"What about Speedy?"

"Please, you could hardly call locking lips during a game of truth and dare dating."

"Thank God, I swear I wanted to pulverize him." He saw the look on her face and quickly amended his statement.

"I mean, not in like a creepy possessive way obviously." Raven felt the corners of her mouth quirk up into a smile.

"Obviously."

"So...when did you realize?"

"Realize what?"

"That you had feelings for me." Um. Well. Shit.

"You first." That should buy her a minute at least.

"The Titans Christmas party, two years ago."

"That's...specific. Want to clarify at all?"

"I had drank too much punch, and you came in wearing that red minidress-" Raven felt her cheeks start to flush at the memory. Curse Starfire and her fashion suggestions.

"And that was it for me. I know it sounds shallow, but I guess that's what it took for me to see you in a different way."

"I see."

"So what about you?" He was smiling again, and Raven averted her eyes, desperately racking her brain for something, anything. Then it hit her. Oh this was good.

"At the charity drive, a few months ago. I always knew you cared about the public- I mean, you're dedicated to fighting crime- but watching you interact with those orphans, I guess I saw- saw how tender you could be, despite all the intensity. It...softened you. In a good way."

Raven had never before considered acting, but after that performance she deserved an Oscar. Robin's jaw was practically on the floor. She smiled inwardly, ridiculously pleased with how easy it was to deceive the seemingly never deceived boy wonder. Had it always been this easy?

"Raven, I-"

"Here we are!" Tanya exclaimed, setting down two plates laden with food, as well as two milkshakes.

"Enjoy!" She gave them both a smile, in addition to a wink at Robin.

"Let's eat." Raven said, before Robin could return to his sentence. She dug into her burger and curly fries with vigor, and was surprised how much she enjoyed it. True, she'd usually have more vegetables and less bacon with her burger, but there was something to be said for unadulterated greasy goodness. She took a sip of her shake and had to stop herself from smiling. Mint. Typical Robin.

Raven almost choked on her burger when she saw how fast Robin was eating. He had polished off his burger and was finishing up his fries while drinking the last few sips of his milkshake. She still had a good ways to go.

"You gonna finish those?" Robin pointed at her fries, and with an internal sigh Raven slid them across the table. If she was going to have sex with him under false pretenses, she might as well let the guy eat her damn curly fries.

"Did you like it?" Robin asked, a twinge of anxiety coming through in his voice as he watched her finish her food. Raven smiled, and was surprised to find that it was actually genuine.

"I actually did. This is a cool place." Robin sighed in relief, and waved Tanya over for the check. Raven was about to pull out her card when he shook his head and slid his towards the edge of the table.

"Here you go, Tanya." She strode off with the bill and Raven gave Robin a pointed look.

"I can pay for myself you know."

"Yeah, but it's a date, the point is I pay for you."

"Then I'm taking the next one." The words were out of her mouth before she had even realized what she was saying. Shit.

"Deal."

Tanya came over slid the card back on the table and gave them both a smile.

"You're all set folks, have a wonderful evening."

"So..."

"So..."

"What now?"

Robin smiled, and it reached all the way to his eyes.

"I know just the place. Do you trust me?"

"Do I have a choice?" She grumbled.

"Nope."

 **A/N: Well that update didn't take long. I guess I'm trying to make up for the monthslong wait between chapters one and two. This was the longest chapter yet, lot of dialogue, but there will be a little more action in the next one, if you catch my drift ;) Hope you guys are enjoying the story half as much as I'm enjoying writing it.**


	5. Chapter 5

"Where are you taking me, boy blunder?"

"We're almost there, can't you just wait one more minute."

"But then I wouldn't be able to pester you, and how else would I have fun."

He gave her a sideways glance.

"I can think of a few ways." Fuck that was smooth. Raven looked out the window, mainly to hide the blush spreading up her neck, and saw a sign that read Echoview Falls. Robin pulled into the parking lot overlooking the water and grinned.

"You can't be serious."

"Oh I'm deadly serious."

"I bet you say that to all the girls before you murder them and throw their bodies down the falls." Robin threw back his head with a bark of laughter.

"But seriously, could you pick a more cliché date spot?"

"I thought it was romantic." Raven placed a finger on her chin, as if considering this.

"Well, maybe it is." She let her hand wander over to Robin's thigh. Now he was the one blushing, she noted with no small degree of satisfaction.

"Come on, boy blunder." She cackled, dragging him into the back seat.

"I'm not sure Cyborg would be happy with us using the T-Car like this."

"Just shut up and kiss me you idiot." Although Raven planned on there being a little more than kissing if she had any say in the matter.

Kissing Robin was like a mint chocolate chip shake, Raven mused as he ran his fingers up her thighs. Decadent, indulgent, refreshing. It was definitely nice, and Raven would be enjoying herself more, but her Auntie Flo was coming back next week and she had no time to lose.

She yanked Robin's t-shirt off over his head and began unbuttoning her blouse. Robin's face turned a bright shade of scarlet as she revealed the peach colored lace bra she had purchased on that afternoon's shopping trip with Star.

Raven began kissing down Robin's neck, her lips moving lower and lower until she reached the edge of his jeans.

"Raven..."

"Stop talking."

Robin sat up, pulling away from Raven's mouth.

"As much as I appreciate the enthusiasm, I'm just not that kind of boy, Raven." Robin teased, a coy smile flitting over his face.

"Sure you are." Raven moved back in but he put a finger to her lips.

"No, listen. I-I've wanted this for a while, you know I have, but- I imagined our first time happening...well...not happening in the back of the T-Car."

"Ok."

"And I just- I just feel like we need to slow this down. I mean, I want to be sure you want me for more than my body." He smiled at that, but Raven felt her stomach drop. If only he knew. She sat up and pulled her blouse back up over her shoulders.

"Let's wait until the third date, at least. That's the standard, right?" She snorted.

"You would know, you've been on more dates than me."

"That's fair." He brushed his fingertips over her thighs and Raven suppressed a shudder.

"So, will you go on another date with me?"

"You're the team leader, do I really have a choice?" He was drawing circles on her thigh now, and Raven felt herself wishing he wouldn't stop.

"Of course you do. You know I would never make you do anything you didn't want to do." And yet you refuse to sleep with me. Raven scooted onto his lap and curled her fingers into his hair.

"You're so...chivalrous." She said, trying not to sound bitter.

"I try." he murmured against her ear, proceeding to trail kisses against her neck. Raven closed her eyes. As nice as this felt, she just wanted to get this over with. It scared her how...into her Robin was. Would it really be so easy for things to go back to normal between them after this was over?

She pulled away and looked into his eyes.

"We'd better get back soon. We have a long day tomorrow."

"What?" She rolled her eyes at him.

"Our big group training session?"

"Oh, right."

They drove back in silence, and against her will Raven drifted off, her breathing becoming as steady as her heartbeat.

 **A/N: The next few chapters will probably be shorter, but I'm hoping to get them out quicker, so it's safe to say you can expect at least one more update today. Anyone have any suggestions for future dates between our favorite birds? I'm torn between a couple of ideas but I'm not sure what will work best storywise. Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

Raven awoke the next morning with a start as her alarm went off, and was surprised to find herself in her own bed...and wearing the same clothes she had worn yesterday. She rubbed her head, and a vague recollection came back to her. A pair of strong arms carrying her up the stairs, back to her room. Raven groaned. How embarrassing. Especially since she had an unfortunate tendency to drool when she fell asleep. That was a turn on.

She got out of bed with a groan, and went over to the closet to put on her uniform. Team training days were always brutal, and she was looking forward to getting this one over with. Raven fastened her cloak and headed downstairs. With any luck she could get there last and avoid any teasing about the date from her teammates before practice started.

She was not so fortunate.

"Friend Raven! Do tell us about the date with Robin!"

"Yeah girl, we want to hear all the deets." Raven rolled her eyes at Cyborg and sighed.

"Fine, what do you want to hear?"

"Where did you go?"

"What did you do?"

"Who paid for dinner?"

"Ok guys, enough. Um, he took me to this restaurant on the outskirts of Jump, then we went to Echoview Falls to...stargaze." Beast Boy snorted at this and she gave the green Titan a withering stare.

"And he paid for dinner. But-" Raven raised her voice as Robin entered the room.

"I'm paying next time."

"Ooh so there's going to be a next time?"

"I think so, Cyborg. This one does seem to like me." Robin winked at Raven as he said this, making th rest of the Titans ooh at the sight.

"Alright team, enough talking, let's get to it. Today we're...splitting into pairs for hand to hand combat." Everyone groaned at this, but Robin silenced them with a pointed look.

"I know this isn't everyone's favorite drill, but it helps us sharpen crucial skills. Starfire, you're with Raven, Beast Boy, with Cyborg. I'll be coming around to offer help and step in as needed. Let's get to work." Robin clapped his hands and the team split up into their assigned groups.

"So Raven..." Starfire smiled conspiratorially at the dark haired empath and Raven pushed down a groan.

"Yes, Star?"

"How's your...project...going?"

"Not well." Raven growled as she took a fighting stance.

"But he seems to like you more than ever, what could-"

"Come on you guys, less talking, more fighting." Robin strode over to where they stood and started to inspect Raven's stance.

"Good, but you need to bring your left leg up a bit. And lift your left fist up, like this." He took her arm and moved it to the correct position, then nodded his approval.

"There you go." Robin turned to Starfire, a frown etched on his face.

"Starfire, why aren't you in a fighting stance?" The alien quickly assumed a position mirroring Raven's.

"That's more like it." He headed off to check on Beast Boy and Cyborg.

"That was the close one, friend." Starfire stage whispered, and Raven nodded. She moved toward Star as if to attack, and thankfully her friend took the hint and began to engage in combat. Raven couldn't stand thinking about her failure in her mission. The more she dwelled on it, the more she saw the negatives of her plan. She couldn't live like this, and although she would've preferred to do it with someone she already knew, Raven wasn't above resorting to using a stranger if necessary.

 **A/N: Man this was a hard chapter to write, mainly because I lowkey suck at writing action...next chapter is date #2 though so get excited, it'll be eventful to say the least. I'll try to get it out soon, but in the meantime I hope you enjoyed the update!**


	7. Chapter 7

"He said to dress casually, Star. I don't think that counts as casual." Starfire looked down at the cowgirl apparel she was holding and sighed.

"It is cute, though." She said, mournfully returning the hangers to her closet.

"How about these?" Raven held up a pair of like green athletic shorts, and Starfire nodded her approval.

"With the blue shirt, yes." Raven reached down into the pile of clothes at her feet and pulled out a faded blue t-shirt.

"This?" Starfire nodded and Raven started to change. Once she had felt embarrassed about changing in front of Star, but the Tamaranian was so open about her own body that it was hard to be squeamish without appearing rude.

"What time is your date?"

"4:30."

"But it is 4:27 now." SHIT. Raven hastened to gather her clothes and dashed out the door.

"Thanks Star!" She called back to her friend as she sprinted to her room. After depositing her clothes and putting on sneakers she hastened to the garage where Robin would be waiting. And there he was, similarly clad in athletic shorts and a t-shirt. He waved her over to his bike and handed her a helmet.

"Hope you're okay with riding this today." He said with a smile, and Raven hoped that motorcycle wasn't the only thing she'd be riding.

"Perfect." She replied, buckling in her helmet. Raven got on the back of the bike and wrapped her arms around him.

"Hold on." He cried out as they began racing down the road. Raven tightened her grip on his torso. This is why she preferred her own methods of transportation. Robin drove as if the speed limit signs were suggestions instead of enforceable law. And the worst part is he could get away with it as a superhero.

It didn't take them long to arrive at their destination, as a sign soon announced their welcome to Parkerland Family Funground.

"Um Robin, have you mistaken me for someone 15 years younger?"

He sighed, took off his helmet, and shook out his tousled hair.

"So difficult. So demanding. This is why I never take you anywhere nice." Raven opened her mouth to protest, but closed it upon seeing Robin's growing grin.

"I got you!" He exclaimed, punching his fist in the air. Raven crossed her arms.

"Oh come on, you fool me all the time, it's only right I even out the score." He gave her a wink and came over. Raven felt something flutter up in her chest as his warm fingers unclasped her helmet and pulled it up off her head. She reached up to straighten her hair, but Robin had beaten her to it, and her hand had landed right on top of his. He laughed and extracted his hand from under hers, seemingly unfazed by it. It struck her then just how...well, cool, Robin was.

"Come on, you'll have fun, I promise." He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the entrance. Raven almost tripped over her own feet in surprise. Somehow holding hands managed to feel more intimate than anything else they had done, and she prayed her embarrassment didn't show on her face.

Robin walked up to the ticket booth and exchanged words in a hushed tone with the man behind the counter. He returned a few minutes later bearing two golf clubs and distinctly colored golf balls, one red and one blue.

"Mini golf?" Raven asked, wrinkling her nose in mistaste.

"Hey, don't knock it til you try it." He wagged his finger at her. With a sigh, Raven grabbed the proffered club and ball, and they headed towards the first hole.

.~.

"Shit!" Raven exclaimed as her ball missed the hole. Again.

"Wow, you really are bad at this."

"Shut up." She growled at Robin, gritting her teeth. She had held her cool in far more dire situations than this, but for some reason this mini golf course had gotten the better of her. It didn't help that Robin was a natural, consistently getting the ball in with only two turns every time.

Raven crossed over the where her ball lay, mere inches away from the hole, and tapped it in. She sighed. Even this couldn't win her the game. She turned to face Robin, counting up the points with glee.

"27 for me, and...86 for Raven." He covered his mouth with his hand, trying not to laugh.

"Ok, ok, we get it, I suck at mini golf, can we go now?"

"Aw come on, you aren't seriously mad, are you Rae?" He came over and wrapped his arms around her, tugging her into a very onesided hug. He pulled back and examined her. Raven allowed her face to soften, and leaned in for a kiss. Compared to their previous kisses, this one was considerably more chaste. Yet, Raven felt her cheeks burning as she pulled away.

"Can we eat now?"

He smiled down at her and she felt something stir inside her.

"Anything for my princess." She pushed him away with a laugh.

"Come on."

.~.

Two chicken tender baskets later, Robin and Raven were sitting out on a picnic table that overlooked the mini golf course.

Raven was still working on her cherry chocolate chunk ice cream, while Robin had low since finished his peppermint stick.

"You really like mint, huh?"

"It's simple, yet refreshing. Why mess with a good thing?" He shrugged. Raven nodded, and continued to plow away at her ice cream.

"Oh, you've- you've got something on your-" Robin reached over and wiped away a smear of of ice cream at the corner of her mouth. Her insides wobbled at the contact.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

"So...what now?" Raven asked, depositing her cone wrapper in the trash.

"Well, I hear there's a good walk along the pond."

"That sounds...nice."

They walked to the edge of the pond, where a small mulch trail led around it. Robin took Raven's hand and they started off along the path.

With every crunching step she took, Raven felt more and more uneasy. Was it really right to take advantage of Robin like this? He clearly thought they were a couple, and Raven...well, she had never planned on getting into a relationship of any sort. If it weren't for her...special problem...she would be fine living without any sort of companionship. She honestly didn't see the big deal about sex in general, beyond how it would make her trouble go away.

"What are you thinking about?" Raven turned her head and saw Robin smiling down at her. If she was going to be honest with him, now was the time. She cleared her throat.

"Um...Dr. Light. I was thinking about where he might strike if he escapes from prison again."

"I wouldn't worry about him. Ever since the prison upped his security, less villains have been able to escape. But it's cute that you think about these things." She wrinkled her nose up at him. Cute was not a word people typically used to describe her. But it was so typical of Robin to think worrying about criminals was endearing behavior.

"What are you thinking about?" He ducked his head, and Raven could swear she saw a blush spread across his face.

"Oh, well, this is embarrassing, but I was thinking about that time we played monopoly. You know. That time." She grinned at him.

"You mean the time where I bankrupt the shit out of you, and forced you to do the dance of shame."

"I'd never seen you laugh so hard. It was like you lit up inside. It almost made doing the funky chicken worth it." Raven cackled.

"Almost." He flicked her nose, and she recoiled.

"But you know what I like best about you, Raven?" He stopped walking and turned to her, his face a mask. They were only inches apart, and she suddenly had the urge to wrap her arms around his neck.

"What?" She breathed up at him. Dear God his eyes were blue. So blue she could drown in them.

"I never see you more beautiful than when you're focusing your energy on solving a problem. Your drive and dedication is just...it's irresistible." Raven smiled in spite of herself. Only Robin.

"It also helps that you have a nice butt." She almost choked.

"You didn't just say that."

"It's true though."

"Ok, whatever you say."

"Do you...think I have a nice butt?"

"Obviously. A perfect butt is the only thing I look for in a guy."

"I hope that's not true." It wasn't, but it also wasn't too far from the truth.

"Of course not."

"Good." They had almost reached the end of the trail. And as much as Raven wished the night would end with her freedom, she kept his words in mind. She guessed she would have to wait for their next date to heat things on.

As they headed back toward the bike, Raven couldn't help but focus on the way their hands fit together. She realized that she had never felt more herself than when she was with Robin. But what to do with that information...

"Ready?" Robin asked, handing her her helmet. She took it with a start. Then she smiled.

"Let's go home."

 **A/N: Date 2 is a wrap! Next chapter will be a little different. No date, but I promise it'll be entertaining nonetheless. As a writer, I'm generally more of a pantser than a plotter, but I actually have a pretty good idea where this story is going to go. And I promise you, you are in for angst, drama, and good ol Robin x Raven action in the chapters to come.**


	8. Chapter 8

A week later, Raven was lying in bed and feeling ready to kill someone. The past two days she had been bedridden with the worst cramps she had experienced yet. Starfire had been bringing her soup and heating pads, while the rest of the Titans had been strictly forbidden from entering her room. Worse than being racked with pain, Raven had been filled with guilt. She had already missed three Titan alerts, as well as team drills. The upside is that she had been able to avoid Robin. He had been so hopeful after their last date, and it crushed her to see him so happy when she knew what she had planned.

She rolled over and checked the time on her phone: 9:52. Surely everyone would be asleep by now. Slowly, Raven crawled out of bed and slipped on her house shoes. She went over to the closet and pulled out her robe. Grabbing her mug from her bedside table, she tiptoed down the hallway and headed to the kitchen. The lights were off. Thank God, she thought as she headed towards the electric kettle.

"Raven." Before she could stop it, her mug slipped between her fingers. Raven sighed and turned to face Robin. She couldn't believe how jumpy she was. That had been one her favorite mugs too, a soft dove grey dotted with little clouds. She figured it was due to being stuck in her room for two days.

"Robin. You startled me."

"Sorry about that. I didn't expect to see you up and around. How are you?" Raven shifted slightly, fully aware that she hadn't responded to any of Robin's texts within the past day.

"Better, thanks. I-I didn't think anyone would be awake right now."

"Just going over some old case files." Sometimes it seemed like Robin really hadn't changed at all since the team was founded.

"What are you doing in the kitchen at this hour?"

"Oh, I was just- going to make some tea. But I...dropped my mug." She bent down to pick up the pieces, and he joined her. Their hands occasionally brushed together as they collected the shards. Once they had gotten all the visible fragments and thrown them in the bin, they stood. The two teammates lounged against the counter, staring into each other's eyes. Even with her robe, Raven shivered slightly (Robin sure did love the air conditioning). And then she realized- Oh shit. She wasn't wearing a bra. Please, please let it not be noticeable.

"You can use one of my mugs if you like, I know you keep yours in your room." Damn right she did, after Beast Boy had broken one too many of hers. Funny now that she was guilty of that exact crime.

"Thanks." Robin bent down to open the cabinet and Raven made a point of looking anywhere other than his backside. He sprang back up, holding the mug she had gotten him as a secret santa gift last year. Wrapped around it was a selfie the team had taken. Beast Boy was giving Starfire bunny ears, Cyborg was a blur, Robin was squinting distrustfully at the camera, and Raven had this goody grin on her face. A truly horrendous picture by all accounts. It had seemed like a gag gift at the time, but looking down at the mug Raven wondered how much time Robin had spent staring at her smile.

She took it, her fingers trembling slightly, and held it to her chest.

"So, er, what kind of tea are you drinking?"

"Peppermint." He smiled at this, and went to flip on the electric kettle. Raven rifled through her box of teas until she came across a lone peppermint. She would have to add that to the grocery list.

Raven tore open the wrapper and plopped the teabag into the mug. She tapped her fingers on the counter as she listened to the water start to boil. Seeing Robin after a two day absence from his life somehow felt more painful than being around him regularly. It was a punch in the gut that made her feel even more guilty for what she was dragging him into. Robin was a legitimately good guy. It wasn't right for her to drag him into her mess.

"Here, let me." Robin had appeared at her side, electric kettle in hand, and she lifted the mug as he poured in the hot water. Raven grabbed a spoon and began to stir her tea vigorously.

"Do you want some honey? It always helps me when I'm not feeling well."

"I didn't know you drank tea."

"Well, only when I'm sick. I still prefer coffee though."

"Black like your soul." Robin shook his head at her and she smiled.

"What will it take for me to get you to like me?"

"For starters, I think I will take that honey after all." Robin reached behind her and grabbed the honey from the countertop. He squirted a few drops into her tea and Raven stirred it in.

"I guess you'll be getting back to your room now, to try and get some sleep." Robin sounded resigned, and it made Raven somewhat offended that he thought she was going to go back to being cloistered away in her room.

"I've been sleeping all day, I doubt I could get much more of it tonight."

"We could...we could always watch a movie...if you want."

"As long as it's actually good. It's fun to torture you, but watching a bad movie right now would kill what few brain cells I have left." He chuckled at that, and turned to walk down into the living room. Raven felt like all her breath had been taken away.

"I think I have just the thing." Robin called up, and she forced her legs to move down the stairs.

"What is it?" He held up a movie and grinned.

"Bambi? Never seen it." Raven said as she sank down onto the couch.

"Never seen it?" Robin scrunched up his face indignantly.

"Well it's a classic, beautiful animation, a heartwarming story, adorable characters- if you have a heart you'll love it." She stilled at that, the dark tide within her swelling. It could be argued that at this point, knowing what she did and still continuing with her plan, that she didn't have one.

"Put it in then." Raven settled back into the sofa, and Robin sat down beside her, pulling over a fuzzy blanket.

"Here." He said, draping half of it over her.

"Thanks." The movie started, and Raven forced herself to pay attention. While the movie wasn't to her usual taste, she couldn't help but get sucked into the story. When Bambi's mom died, she felt a couple of tears fall down her cheeks, surprising herself. And Robin, who pulled her in closer and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"It's alright." He murmured, and Raven felt herself drawing closer to him. His body was so warm, and so was the blanket. Against her will Raven found herself drifting off to sleep, her last thought being that she didn't know what she was going to do without Robin in her life.

 **A/N: Honestly this might have been my favorite chapter to write (so far) because I just love domestic birds! Also started rewatching the show and boy do I have fanfic ideas. Not going to start anything until I've finished this story, but I have some big things planned for the future, so stay tuned. Next chapter is date 3, and it's going to be a steamy one.**


	9. Chapter 9

"Well well well, looks like you two lovebirds had quite the night." Raven opened her eyes, blinking slightly as sunlight hit her face.

"Lovebirds! Ha! That's priceless Cyborg!" Beast Boy chortled, and she groaned, sitting up straighter.

"It is indeed most adorable. Friend Raven! How was your sleep?" Cyborg and Beast Bou collapsed into giggles and Raven found herself longing to give both of them a good swift kick to the nether regions.

"What's going on?" Oh no. Now Robin was awake, rubbing his eyes and looking around blearily.

"Nothing, go back to sleep."

"Okay." He wrapped his arms around her torso. Raven felt her cheeks redden as the rest of the team chortled.

"This isn't what it looks like." She said lamely, trying to pull away from Robin's embrace.

"Sure it isn't. We'll let y'all get back to it." The rest of the team exited the living room and Raven sighed. Then she extracted herself from Robin and headed back to her room. Her head was throbbing, and all she wanted to do was get some real sleep on an actual bed. How had she put herself into such a vulnerable position with Robin? It didn't matter that they hadn't done anything if the rest of her teammates thought they had. She was sinking deeper and deeper into the deception and Raven didn't know how she was going to get out of it.

.~.

Raven woke with a start. Then she rubbed her head ruefully. Apparently not even sleep had cured her migraine. She checked her phone and saw that it was 3:30 in the afternoon. Why hadn't anyone woken her up? She had definitely missed training.

The empath stepped out into the hall, intent on finding someone with an explanation for this, but stopped as she stepped on something. Cursing, she bent down to retrieve a slightly squashed cardboard box from the floor. She lifted off the lid and raised an eyebrow. A note was attached to wrapping paper. Raven unfolded the paper and read:

 _Dear Raven,_

 _After last night I thought I'd let you sleep in today. You seemed like you needed more rest so I told the team you needed more time to recover. I thought you might need some cheering up, so if you feel well enough, meet me at the Landon Street Ballroom tonight at 7, wearing this. Yours, Robin._

She sighed and folded the note. Raven had gotten herself in too deep, but there was no turning back down. It was time for their third date.

.~.

Raven walked down the street, trying not to trip in the silver heels Starfire had loaned her. She heard a wolf whistle from the other side of the street and picked up the pace. Inwardly she was cursing Robin. And Starfire too, because it had surely been the Tamaranian who had helped him pick out this...monstrosity of a dress. Sleek, covered with sparkles, incredibly form fitting...Raven would as soon teach a monkey to dance than wear this dress. But tonight was the night, and the least she could do for Robin was show up wearing this dress.

Down the block, she heard a loud, thudding beat emitting from an old warehouse. She frowned down at the note. Surely this couldn't be the Landon Street Ballroom. But as she drew closer, she saw the sign and admitted defeat.

"Raven!" She turned, and there he was. Red button down, hair slicked back. He looked like a movie star. And she looked like a call girl.

"Wow." He breathed, and Raven fidgeted with the bangle on her wrist. Starfire had insisted on pinning her hair back into this elaborate bun, as well as coating her face in cosmetics. Raven had barely been able to recognize herself in the mirror.

"Raven, you look..."

"I know, ridiculous."

"No. You don't." Raven glanced down, but that didn't remove the heat of his stare.

"Shall we?" She asked. Maybe when they were inside he would stop looking at her like that.

They stood in line, eventually showed their IDs to the bouncer and were admitted. The thudding music and dim lights did nothing but bring back the sensation of a migraine. Robin took her arm and began pulling her in the direction of the bar. Raven allowed it, figuring the only way she'd manage to have any fun in this place was if she was smashed.

"I'll take a mojito." Robin said to the bartender, before turning to Raven.

"What do you want?"

"A manlier beverage." He threw up his hands in protest.

"Hey, don't knock it til you try it."

"I'll take a scotch, neat."

"You got it." Raven hopped up on the barstool, and made a vain effort to pull the hem of her dress lower.

"I've got to be honest with you Raven, this club is just...well, it's kind of a cover."

"For what?"

"I booked us a room at the Barberry." Raven sucked in a breath. The Barberry was the nicest hotel in Jump City.

"Please don't be freaked out, I mean-I know, at least- I assume- you probably haven't done this kind of thing before."

"Here you are." Raven grabbed her drink and downed it in one gulp.

"Another one, please." She slid the empty glass back along the counter.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Positive."

"I just, I want to be sure you're ready...to take the next step." Raven gulped. This was exactly the kind of talk she had been hoping to avoid.

"Sure I am."

"You...you don't look very sure."

"Do you think I would go out with you if I wasn't ready for this?"

"I-you're right. I just want this to be perfect."

"Stop worrying so much." Even though Raven was addressing Robin, it was more for her benefit than his. The bartender slid her newly refilled glass across the table and Raven grabbed it, hoping some liquid courage would sharpen her nerve.

"Now come on, let's dance." And with that she was dragging her team leader out onto the dance floor.

.~.

A couple drinks later, and Raven was feeling pleasantly fuzzy. She was just drunk enough to forgo any sense of her usual propriety and was dancing up a storm. Raven had even received a couple of numbers, from guys and girls alike, and she was feeling pretty bold. Bold enough to fetch Robin, who after one dance had retreated back to the bar.

"Come on, bird brain. Come dance with me."

"Not my scene." Raven let out a bark of laughter.

"You brought me here."

"They do make the best mojitos in Jump."

"Come on, just one dance. I promise I'll make it worth your while." Her hand slid up his thigh and she could hear Robin's breath hitch. She had him, but it gave her no pleasure.

She led him out onto the dance floor, just as a slow song started to play. Raven wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him in close. She could hear his heart beating in time to the music, his breath as shallow as hers. Raven reached up and pressed her lips to his. The heat of it almost shocked her, as well as the...possessiveness in it. It fully hit her just how much Robin wanted her. It took all of her strength not to push him away right then and there. She had to see this through.

"You want to get out of here?" He asked, after breaking away from the kiss. She nodded, and he slipped his hand in hers as they exited the club. Just a few minutes after they had left, it began to rain, hard. Raven threw up a forcefield above their heads, but not after they had already gotten soaked. She didn't have to feel her face to tell that her mascara was leaking. Raven looked up at Robin, expecting him to be weirded out by her fake face melting off. Instead, he threw back his head and laughed.

"Wow, what a mess." Raven sighed. It figured that her attractiveness would dwindle the more she looked like herself. She felt Robin tugging her back to him and looked up at him.

"I've never seen you look more radiant." He whispered as he caught her mouth in a kiss. Then Robin rested his head against hers.

"I-I love you Raven." She felt her heart doing loop de loops. He really...loved her?

"I-I-"

"It's okay Raven, I don't expect you to say it to me now. I've been feeling this for a lot longer than you have, after all." She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she knew she had to do.

"Robin, I- there's something I need to tell you. And I need you to not freak out, but just listen to me." He looked bemused, and Raven wished she could take back what she had to say next.

"When this started, I- I had no idea how...deeply you felt for me. If I had known that, I would have never-" Robin stared down at her, and she could see he wasn't getting it.

"I have...a condition. As a half demon, my period came later than most. It wasn't bad at first, but over time it worsens, the longer you go- go without having had intercourse. And so I thought-" She pinpointed the exact moment of realization on his face. First, absolutely crushed. Then, enraged.

"So you just thought I'd be an easy solution to your problems? That I'd just go along with this?" His voice was tighter than she had ever heard from him. This was not good.

"But Robin, I-"

"Save it. I've heard all I want to hear from you." And before she could stop him, he was racing off into the night, his footsteps pounding against the sodden sidewalk. Raven let the forcefield fall and collapsed on the sidewalk. She stared at her reflection in a puddle. What had she done?

 **A/N: Kind of a downer end to the chapter, huh? I toyed with several different variations to the ending, but I think realistically Raven couldn't go through with things without being honest with Robin. Next chapter, she'll definitely be dealing with the consequences of her confession. Will the two birds be able to work it out? Drop your thoughts in a review!**


	10. Chapter 10

For the next few days Robin avoided Raven like the plague. On missions, during drills, even around the dinner table. She had tried to corner him several times, but he refused to be within five feet of her. It was time to resort to drastic measures.

Raven softened her footsteps as she approached the training room. She was hoping she could reason with Robin on his own turf. To explain herself better, and to tell him- tell him that his feelings weren't as one sided as they appeared.

She opened the door, and startled by the sound, Robin turned from the punching bag to see her standing in the doorway. Disgust crossed his face, and Raven started to regret coming at all. But Robin deserved more from her. She stepped forward.

"Hey, Robin, can I talk to you?"

"I'm busy." He replied, turning back to the bag.

"But we need to talk."

"I need to train." His words punched through her harder than fists ever could. But she had to remain calm.

"Train with me then." She raised her fists and took a fighting stance.

"Let's go." He turned to her, and let out a laugh, a cruel, forced thing.

"Come on, Raven, you'd never have a chance of beating me in hand to hand combat."

"Try me."

"Your funeral." They squared off, staring into each other's eyes, trying to sense a weakness. Robin's eyes, which had once looked at her with such softness, were now hard and unyielding. She wished she could make things right. True, she couldn't then, but she damn well was going to try now.

"I didn't mean for this to happen, when I asked Star for-"

"Oh, so now Star is in on this too? Who else knows, the rest of the team?"

"No, of course not, but she's my friend, and when she suggested you I didn't think- I didn't know- that you had...such strong feelings for me. I would have never-"

"But you did." She stumbled back, shocked by the ferocity in his voice, and he lunged at her, pinning her to the floor.

"I-I told you, but only because- because I realized I had...considerable feelings, for you." He looked down at her in distaste, and Raven felt her insides shriveling up.

"If you did, you would never have done this in the first place."

"But it's true. When Star suggested you, I-it seemed like the best solution. I-I didn't know that you...that you loved me." He stood up, and brushing off his hands moved away from her.

"No need to worry about that. I don't, not anymore." Her heart nearly stopped. He walked to the door, then turned back to her with a sneer.

"I could never love someone with no heart." Raven felt the air exit her lungs as she lay there on the training room floor. She closed her eyes, fighting back tears. It was over. She had tried to win him back, but he still hated her. And she deserved it. Raven had stuck with this- this perverse scheme, and with him of all people, for what purpose? Oh. She felt her chest inflate as a crazy notion entered her head.

She loved Robin. Perhaps she always had. They had always been their for each other, during their darkest trials, protecting each other from their demons, real or imagined. He had gone to hell to save her, for Christ's sake. Robin had always been there for her, and her for him, until now. Raven had just been too blind to see it.

.~.

"You did what now?" Cyborg exclaimed.

"Dude, that is so messed up." Beast Boy added.

"I know." Raven admitted.

"And you knew about this too Star?" Cyborg asked, turning to the Tamaranian with an incredulous look on his face.

"Yes, I am also to blame." Starfire sighed.

"No, Star, this wasn't your fault. I'm the one who did this." Raven put her hand on Starfire's shoulder.

"Did you even apologize to him girl?"

"Well- no, I didn't quite have the chance to." Cyborg groaned, while Beast Boy just shook his head.

"Messed. Up." He repeated.

"But the question is, what do I do? He won't even look at me now. How am I supposed to make this right?"

"The dude feels used, and who can blame him? The girl he loved was gonna-"

"But I didn't."

"You might as well have. That was a major betrayal, especially since he loves you."

"Loved. He told me he could never love someone who didn't have a heart." Raven recounted.

"The way he's been stomping and brooding around the tower, of course he still loves you. But you gotta put yourself in his shoes. Dude's pride has been seriously wounded. You just need to apologize and even the score."

"How?"

"You need to get him in a situation where he can't just walk away." Lightbulb.

"I have an idea. But I'm going to need some help." After looking around at each other, her three teammates nodded.

"We're in."

 **A/N: What do Raven and the rest of the gang have planned? You'll just have to wait til the next chapter to find out ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

Raven fastened her cloak, then checked the time on her communicator. She smiled grimly. Right on schedule. The alarm went off, and she raced to the living room. Robin was already there. He looked away when he saw her enter, and she crossed her arms. After a few moments, when none of the others showed up, Robin had to concede.

"Where's everyone else?"

"They went to the mall." Robin stared at her, unconvinced.

"All of them?"

"I believe so. They asked me to come with them, but I-I had to finish reading my book." He nodded sharply.

"Well, we'd better be off then." He turned to go and Raven reached out, grabbing hold of his cape.

"I can teleport us there. It would be quicker." He paused, then turned back and and grunted his assent. Within seconds they had arrived at the outskirts of Jump, near the edge of the forest. There, they saw Dr. Light, cackling madly at the edge of the cliff.

"You cannot escape the power of...LIGHT."

"Give it up Light, you can't- RAVEN, STOP." But she was already running headfirst into the fray. Closing her eyes, she lunged for Dr. Light...and tackled him off the cliff. Raven's hand shot out and caught the edge of the rock face. Dr. Light, however, was all gone. Raven closed her eyes. The easy part was over. Now came the real challenge.

"Raven!" She heard Robin's footsteps racing towards her, and she glanced upward as he came into view.

"Hold on, I'm going to get you up here."

"Why would you help me, when I've been so awful to you?"

"Because you're a part of the team, and a leader never deserts his friends."

"I'm truly sorry, Robin. For everything. I-I love you." And Raven let go of the cliff.

.~.

As she fell, Raven worried that this wouldn't work, that she had orchestrated this scheme for nothing. But with any luck, this would be the last time she tried to fool Robin.

As she neared the ground, Raven concentrated her focus on the earth...and opened a portal. Before she had time to even blink, she was back on top of the cliff, facing Robin. He was still kneeling by the edge, shouting her name.

"I think you forgot someone has superpowers, boy blunder." He whirled around and his mouth fell open.

"Teleportation, dummy." He blinked, realization hitting him.

"Oh. Right. What about Dr. Light?"

"Just trust me when I say he's...taken care of."

"Raven, no, tell me you didn't-"

"Not like in that way, I'm not totally crazy." She paused, and tried to collect herself.

"But I was crazy for not realizing sooner what I've known all along. I love you, Robin. I probably have loved you since you came to hell to save me. I was a fool for not seeing what had been right in front of me all this time, and for trying to take advantage of you. You deserved better, and I know I'm desperately, horribly flawed, but I love you, in a way I thought I could never love anyone. You understand the darkness inside me better than I do myself, and yet you've stayed by me all this time. I know I don't deserve you but-" Before she could process what was happening, Robin had rushed towards her, a desperate longing on his face, and kissed her.

"Well it's about time that happened" Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire emerged from the forest, dragging Dr. Light behind them.

"I thought you two goons were never gonna get there." Cyborg grumbled.

"Oh joyous day! We must celebrate with the pudding of newfound love!" Starfire clapped her hands together and did a little twirl.

"As long as it doesn't have meat in it" Beast Boy chimed in. Even Dr. Light seemed overcome with emotion, crying softly.

"Look, even Dr. Light is a RobRae shipper." Cyborg cried out.

"I think he's just disappointed we weren't really trying to reunite him with his mother like we had said we would." Raven pointed out.

"Well there's still time left in the day. What do you say, team?" The Titans shrugged half heartedly, but Raven knew they would do anything for Robin.

"So, is there a RobRae?" Raven murmured as they walked, hand in hand, toward their future.

"I would say yes. But-" Robin added, seeing the smile spreading across Raven's face.

"Don't think you're getting away so easily. I'm still angry with you. But I believe we can work out our issues. It'll take many dates and movie nights and pizza runs. Are you up for it?" He grinned down at her.

"You know Robin, I think I am."

 **A/N: Annnnnnnnd that's a wrap! I just want to thank y'all for reading and following along with my story, it means a lot. I feel like I've found my groove, and I've got some big ideas coming down the pipeline. If you enjoyed this story even a little bit, I'd really appreciate it if y'all would take a moment to pop over to my profile and vote in my poll about what story idea I should pursue next. Thanks so much for reading, and long live RobRae!**


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